Lock for steering wheels



May 31, 192? L.. @mmm LOCK FOR STEERING WHE Filed Nov,

lll

INVENTUR 6771511. s Y

ffy-M69@ Patented May si, i927.

,y me? LOUIS STABILE, 0F BROOKLYN, .N YORK.

Loox non STEERING WHEELS.

Application :filed November 1926. Serial 110.149,550.v ,Y i

This invention relates to improvements in locks, and has particular reference to a lock for the steering wheel of a motor valiicle.'

An object of the invention is to Vprovide an improved lock of simple and pratical'construction which can be convenient-1y mounted upon a portion 0f the steering wheel to lock the same to the steering column and which will be effective in preventing the unlocking of the steering wheel by unauthorized per'- sons. i

Another object is to mount a plurality of locking elements withina lock casing carried by a portion of the steering wheel and to so connect said elements with actuating members therefor that said elementscaiibe properly manipulated to lock and unlockthe Y lwheel only by a person having knowledge of the particular manner in' which the various actuating members are to b e operated.

:The above and other obJects'will appear l more clearly from the following detail de- Figure 3 is a perspective view of a keyV employed for locking and unlocking Vthe steering wheel. Y i

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral indicates the steering wheel of a vehicle, the hub'` of which, for purposes of the presentinvenf tion, is made longer'than usual`V and provided with four series of openings 7 with the openings 0f each series extending longitudinally of the hub. Each series contains four openings, but it will, of course, be understood that the number of series and the num ber of openings in each series may be varied at will 'withoutdeparting from the spirit' or*` scope of the invention. The purpose of these openings 7 will appear in the vcourse of the description. The steering wheel 5, as usual, is keyed to the steering shaft 8 which' is mounted for rotation in the stationary steery v ing'column 9.

The lock of the present invention vconsists of a casing 1() cylindrical in cross section andA adapted to be mounted upon tlie hub 6 in eiin circling relation thereto yand secured in po-` sition thereon by means ofy screws 11. The

end of the casing opposite that-secured to the hub is open and provided with a remov able closure `plate 12 so thatv access may be had to the interior ofthe casing, iffneces- Within the casing 10 there is .secured the inner andouter tubular members 13 and 14, respectively. The member 13 is providedy with series of openings 15 and the openings f of eachy series register with the openings `7" in an adj aceiit series. Extending from each of the openings 15 to the inner surface of the outer member 14; is a sleeve 16 provided with opposed' longitudinally extending grooves 17. A locking element 18 having ribs v19 iiitting in the grooves 17,'is mounted lfor'slidling movement'in each of the sleeves 16 and.

is provided upon its inner end with an eXtension .20 which projects yinto thef'adjacent opening 7 lin the hub 6 when the lockingele-l Vment is moved inwardly. The movements of the lockingelement are controlled by means ofV an actuating member 21 rotatably mounted in anfopening 22 formed'. inv the Aouter Amember .14, the-head of thejmember 21 beingA recessed within said openingV and Shaving an annular flange 23 which 4is-interposed be-L tween the member ltand the wouter: wall ofv the casing'l() so as to preventlongitudina-l movement of the actuating member. The inner end of the latter member isprovided with a screw threaded shank v24 engageable ina threaded recess in the locking element18 so/tliat when the member 21` is rotatedv the locking elementv 18 will be moved longitudinally -of the sleeve 16 into and lout of the associated openingf. When the extension 20 of the locking element is engaged insaid opening, it will be apparent that the hub -of the wheel islocked to the steering column 9 to which the casing 10 is attached and lhence saidwheel cannot be rotated to iin-` part a similar movement tothe shaft 8. The head of each actuating member.` 21 is provided with aI recess 25 for the reception' of the end of a key 26 'which may be-inserted through an opening 27 in tliecasing 10.

Inv order to v`"make it virtually impossible for an unauthorized persony to 'unlock the vsteering wheel, certain of the' actuating members-21 have their shanks 24 provided witli'iiglit-liand threads, while `the others of said members are provided with left-hand threads lso that a person unfamiliar with the manner vin which the threads ofthe various actuating members are pitched may turn any one of said membersy and..not know whether the associated locking element is being moved inwardly to lockingpositiomor outwardly to unlocking position. Byproviding suoli a const'ructioii,"it will bey real-'7" izedtliat with sixteen locking elements, as indicated in t'hedra'wing, many various coin- .binations of right Vand left-hand screw' threaded 'actuating members may beV iob- .tained .A

`tisfdesirable, when the wheel is unlocked,

to cover-the openings -7 in the dilferent series so that it will 'be impossible for any one of thelockingelements to be accidentally or otherwise moved inwardly into engagement 'with itsopening '7- YFor thispur-posel there isprovi'ded a sleeve 2S rotatably mounted within the casinglO and surrounding the hub 6 with a projectingportion of'said sleeve providedwith a handley 29 which will permit of its rotation.l rlhe sleeve is provided withseries of openings 30 designed tobeialigned :with the openings 7 and the locking elements and through which openl.ingsBO` the .latter elements may be yprojected when being moved toV locking position.

After:` the wheel is unlockedjby they retrac tion of all of the locking elementsthe sleeve "-28 may `be rotated to cover theopenings 7 so that .no onev of the locking elements may unlocking positions.

Y 2. `Inma lock, the combination with-.a steering `wheel and a steering .column therefor,

' of ,a lock lcasing carried by said column, a

plurality of locking elements in said casing movable into and out of engagement with a portion offsaidwheel `to lock the same to 'said column and unlock said wheell therefrom, and anactuating member for .each `of Lsaid elements rotatably mountedA in said casing ,and operable yby its rotationto move its associated element'into locking and unlockposition.

3. In a lock, the combination with a steering wheel andfa jsteering column therefor;

v of aglock casingcarried by said column, a

plurality oflocking-elements insaid casing movable into and out of engagement with a portion offsaid wheel to lock lthe samer to said column and unlock said wheel therefrom, and an actuating member for each of said elements rotatably mounted in ,said casing and operable by its rotation to move its associated element into locking and unlockingposition, certainof said actuating members being rotatable in a different direction '-,lf-rom--tlieothers to move their locking element-sl to locking posit-ions'.v

1l. ln a lockg'the vcombination with a steering Wheeland a steering'column therefor; of a lock Casing carriedby said column, a plurality. of locking elements in said casing movable iiito and out ofengagementwith aA portion of said wheel to ylock thesame to said columnv and unlock said wheel therefrom, an actuating member for each of said elements rotatably mounted in said casing and operable by 'it s rotation'to moveits associated element into lockingland unlocking position, and a sleeve adjustable in saidfcasing to a position to prevent engagement of Vsaid locking elements with said portion of the wheel.

' 5. In a lock, the combination with a steering Vwheel and a steeringcolumn therefor.; of alockjc'asi'ng carried by saidcolumn, a

plurality'of locking elements in said casing movableA into and y outl of engagement with a portion of said 'wheel'to lock the lsame to ksaidcolumn andl unlock said wheel `r therefrom, an actuating member for each of said elements rotatably mounted in s aid casing and operable by its rotationto move' its 'associated element into locking andvunlocking position, certain of said 'actuating members being rotatable in a ldifferent direction from the-others to move their lockingv elements to locking positions, and a sleeve adjustable in said casing to a positionto prevent engage-y ment of said locking elements with 'said portion of the wheel. Y Y

6. In alock, the combination with a steel,-

ing'wl'ieel having a hub provided with lseries Yof openings, and a steering columnifor said wheel; of a lock casing` carried Vby said vcolumn .and encircling said hub,'series Vof locking elements each associatedwith one series of openings in said hub'an'd each locking element of a-series-being movable into and out of vengagement .with one ofthe openings ofthe associated series, a4 sleevein which Ieach' locking element is longitudinally movable, and an actuating member 'for each ofk said elements rotatably mounted .-in 'said sleeve and having screw threaded engagement witliits lockingelement to mov-e Vthe samel to locking-and unlocking position.

Y 7. ln a lock, the coiiibinationwitha steering wheel having a hub provided with series of openings, and a steering column forsaid llO wheel;l of a 'lock casing carried byrsaid column Vand encircling said hub, series of locking elements each associatedvf'ithone seriesofr openings insaid hub and each locking'element of a sei-ies being movable into and out of engagement with one of th-e openings of the associated series, a sleeve in which each locking element is longitudinally movable, and an actuatingymember for each of said elements rotatably mounted in said sleeve and having screw threaded engage-- ment with its locking element to move the same to locking andV unlocking position, the V screw threads ot' certain of said actuating members being of opposite pitch to the threads of other members. l

8. In a lock, the combination with a steering wheel having a hub provided with series' of openings, and a steering column for said Wheel; of a lock casing carried by said column and encircling said hub, series ot'lock-l ing element-s each associated with one series of openings in said hub and each locking element of a series being movable into and out of'engagement with one of the openings of the associated series, a sleeve in which each one ofsaid llocking elements being moved to locking position.

9.111 a lock, the combination with a steering wheel having a hub provided with series of openings, and a steering column for said wheel; of a look casing carried by said column and encircling said hub, series of locking elements each associated with one series of openings in Ysaid hub and each .locking element ot' a seri-esbeing movable into-and out of engagement with one ofthe openf ings of t-he associated series,` a sleeve in which each locking element is longitudinally movable, an actuating member for each of said elements rotatably mounted in saidv sleeve and having screw threaded engagef ment with its locking element to move the same to locking and unlocking position, the screw threads of certain'of said actuating members being of opposite pitch to the vthreads of other members, and a sleeve member rotatable in said casing and movable to a position therein to prevent any` onerof said locking elements being moved to locking position. Y

In testimony whereof I have aixed my signature. f 

